Johnson County WIC remains open during federal government shutdown

January 22

The Johnson County WIC program continues to operate during the federal government shutdown. This includes providing nutritional food benefits, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referral services to more than 10,000 program participants in Johnson County, Kan.

WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is the USDA funded nutrition program for low-income pregnant women, infants and children from birth to age 5. All eligible participants will continue to receive WIC benefits and new applicants will be certified and receive benefits.

During the shutdown, all stores will continue to process WIC transactions and will continue to be paid for foods purchased by WIC participants.

The WIC program is currently transitioning from paper-based transactions at grocery stores to plastic card-based transactions (eWIC) making it easier and faster for WIC participants to use their benefits.

Johnson County is part of the first tier of roll-outs for eWIC across the state of Kansas. Paper checks will no longer be issued to WIC families.

There are many benefits for clients, vendors who authorize WIC foods, and the WIC programs across the state:

The cards allow the clients anonymity when conducting WIC transactions at the registers. The cards will be swiped through the card readers currently in place at the grocery stores like any debit or credit card would.

Clients will be able to buy what they need and when they need it.

Their benefits for everyone in the family will be on one card and the date of use will be the same for all family members.

Vendors will not have to conduct separate transactions for clients with WIC benefits.

Local agencies will use far less paper and won’t have to have clients exchange checks when they need to alter their food packages.

Clients currently have the ability to download the WIC Shopper App that will help them determine what benefits are left to purchase on their cards. The app also lets clients scan a food item to see if it is WIC approved or not.

For more information about eWIC or the WIC program, call Johnson County WIC at 913-826-1302 or 913-477-8330.